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My Story... (Rather Long)
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Posted by: jeffs

Kiev…

I met my Svetik almost accidentally on ICQ looking for information on visiting Russia. She was extremely helpful. Over a few months of exchanging “Hi there” and “how are you today’s” it grew into a romance. The kind of thing every guy wants but fears… you know the whole vulnerability thing. So I’m sitting in my office on December 28th and we are chatting and I just thought… what the heck… let’s meet up.

Tickets to Moscow were a lot more than Kiev and I suggested we’d meet up there. She had her father’s birthday on the end of the trip, and I had a limited window for vacation time. January 3rd – 6th we’d meet in Kiev and with out a doubt I’d know for sure if what I was feeling was real.

I booked tickets to London and arrived on the first of January with just my carry on luggage. It was a cool way to spend the first day of the New Year. A few days then on the third I took a Lufthansa flight from Heathrow to Kiev via Munich. Munich is a great airport and I sat a bar literally across from my gate and anxiously awaited what was to come over a few beers and smokes. For the first time I started to get a little nervous. Would she be there? Would be have chemistry? What the hell was I doing… Flying halfway around the world to meet a girl I’d only talked to on the phone and internet?

I boarded Lufthansa flight 3230 right at around 1:00PM and would be in Kiev around 4:30 local time. It was really happening. The passengers on this flight were a little more rowdy than on previous flights. A few on the Ukrainian guys reeked of booze. The stewardesses were constantly getting after them. There was a major shift in attitude when we began to land, some of the guys had their phones switched on and talking before we even landed, and I’m not exaggerating when I say the front wheels of the aircraft hadn’t been down 10 seconds before people started opening bins. Needles to say the stewardesses were not happy. Perhaps a generalization, but people on that flight didn’t give a damn about orderly lines and procedures. I’d run into this again.

First travel tip… Have a pen when you get to Kiev.

I waited till everyone had finished getting their bags and I removed my two carry on bags and walked the jet way towards the unknown. Perhaps I was a tad bit nervous, or just worn out from flying. I walked to customs and realized I hadn’t filled out my immigration card. I didn’t have a pen on me so I walked up to a female officer and muttered on of my 5 words in Russian. “Strasvutzen… Do you speak English?”. She was perhaps in her mid 20’s and not unattractive at a first glance. She replied with sarcasm “Of course I speak English.” “Great… by any chance do you have a pen I could borrow for a second? I need to fill this card out”. She smile, said no sharply and walked away. At this point almost everyone had cleared customs. So I’m somewhere between a jet way and my Svetik with a card holding me up. I finally get a guy to help me… he didn’t speak English so I had to mimic pricking my finger and writing on the card with it. He unpacked a suitcase and gave me a pen. Finally… up to the counter. By this time another flight had come in. So in line I went. Up to the counter, passport through the window and… “You need to have your return flight number on the card, Next!” In line again and through customs. With a pen and a properly filled out card it was a breeze. A few twists and turns and there I see her… just like all the pictures. As beautiful as you can imagine. I gave her a wink and she smiled. We hugged.

I had arranged for an apartment and a car. I had asked the car to pick her up earlier when her flight arrived from Moscow, later I will learn they didn’t. Miscommunication I imagine. A driver is standing there with a Piece of paper and my name written on it. We link up and the two begin speaking in Russian. I take her bags for her.

Into the dark evening at Kiev with my Svetik and some guy who spoke no English. I gave my our first kiss, a quick peck on the cheek as we walked to the car. I stopped and had a smoke outside and we talked, and she spoke with the driver in Russian. It made me a little nervous… I’m getting in a car with these two headed for parts unknown, but I’d know and trusted Sveta for close to 6 months. In I went, he locked the door, I unlocked the door. And down the road we went, at a high rate of speed I might add.

The drive from the airport to the center of Kiev isn’t bad, but I was caught up in the moment of actually being there with her, and touching and holding hands for the first time coupled with wondering if I’d ever make it out alive. The driver stopped 4 or 5 times compounding my concern. Sveta and I shared our first real kiss during one of the stops. I was concerned with displaying too much affection, I wanted to keep my wits about me.

Second travel tip… It’s not the US… Things just don’t have that finished look.

We pull into our apartment through a small opening in a block of building and into a courtyard which I was half sure would be the last place I would see. Constantly waiting for something to go awry. The building was old, the paint waspeeling (on the outside), very much what you’d expect to see, but having seen the inside of my apartment on the internet, I could not imagine it could be in there.

The lock on the main door was a broken dilapidated key punch. We entered the hall/stairwell and it was dirty and just plan concrete and dark to boot. “Oh Jesus I thought. This can’t be good.” The elevator was small, very small and the 3 of US smashed into it with luggage up to the 4th floor. Three large, padded doors were on this level… we went right. He produced a key, like an old skeleton key and opened it, immediately there was another door… a normal sided one. He opened it and motioned for me to go in, I motioned for him to go in first. The lights went on and it was just like the site said. A great apartment.

http://www.ukr-service.com/apartment.php?id=147 The folks here were great by the way.

He called the service and we discussed payment. I didn’t have enough cash on me, I had hoped to stop by an atm on the way. She offered to wait until the morning but sounded concerned. She talked with Sveta and we got directions. I would walk the money over in a few minutes. I paid the driver, and he left. Still a little nervous I locked the door, and our eyes met… I knew it was very real at this point.

A few hours later we wandered around Kiev looking for the location to pay. Again it looked like a project, this one even made Sveta little nervous. The people were very nice and we talked for a few. Then back to the apartment and to warm up in the Jacuzzi.

I slept in Sveta was sweet enough to get me some smokes as I had run out that evening. It was very cold when we went out. It was interesting as at the major intersections you went underground to cross the street. Under the intersection people had tables set up selling all sorts of things. Some even had shops and bars. Sveta wanted to take the subway and we did. The escalator seemed to go down forever. I’d guess four or five stories down. Then to the train. In hind sight I feel bad. She wanted a lot of affection and I was really uncomfortable with it in public. I was trying to keep a low profile and have that “Russian scowl”. We took the train to the square of independence . It was beautiful. Off the square there was a HUGE Christmas tree. We stopped at a restaurant after taking some pictures. L'etoile Café- Bar (КАФЕ-БАР ЭТУАЛЬ). If you are in the square facing Mc Donald’s take a left and go down a few doors. Not reading Russian it could have been anything. It was on the basement level. Very intimate. I had a few beers and she had a glass of wine. The food was great. I had steak stuffed with mushrooms and cheese (фтв иуук), she had steak as well. We had a great conversation and took the opportunity to feed each other a sample of what we were eating. Total cost about $40 (218.95 Hrivna’s). Funny thing happened at L'etoile Café- Bar, to the left and the right we could hear guys speaking English with dates. We laughed… now we both understood the whole reason for so much of the stigma with the “Russian bride” syndrome. There were westerners everywhere.

Since it was the Russian Christmas season I told her I’d like to pick out a present for her. After a nice meal, a few drinks and an intimate conversation we decided to put it on hold and go back to the apartment enjoy each other’s company. We stopped off at the store for some essentials and headed home. It was definitely real…

Hours later we ventured out and went to the grocery store. I was planning on cooking dinner. The ground beef looked horrible, and forget trying to find a jar of spaghetti sauce. We aren’t in the US anymore. And god forbid you are looking at something at the counter. People just sort of push there way in front when they want to look at something. We ended up with some Ukrainian Vodka with a pepper in it, Champaign, water, Coke and Tiramisu. We dropped off our purchases and got a cab back towards the square of independence and decided to go into a large bar (I think Sports Bar) in English in a place called Arena. The cab there cost about 2 dollars (10 Hrivna’s). This was definitely a western style place. Menus in English, bar food like cheese sticks, etc. Prices were closer to western prices. The music was great and the booze just seemed to flow that night. Beer, tequila and my sweet Sveta had her first Long Island Iced ever… (well actually two and a half… I’m a bad man). There was another couple sitting near our booth and her date was speaking English also. I believe he was from Austria, but english was the common language. I can’t recall the price tag, but it’s not unusual for me to have a bar tab that’s a few hundred dollars. I do know it was a good value or at least at par with what I would have spent on the same night in the US. Sveta got us a cab, we were both pretty lit. He wanted 100 Hrivna’s to take us home, Sveta walked off and he opened the door they talked again, and she walked off again. He ended up taking us home for 20 Hrivna’s (about 4 dollars). It was nice to have her there to negotiate so shrewdly.

After a late evening we slept in a bit late and lounged around for half of the day. It’s amazing how quickly you become comfortable with someone. Meeting over the internet and talking for so long we had really gotten to know each other’s personalities, and with such a strong foundation the physical side came naturally (after the initial awkwardness). We went for lunch and Sveta got sick. So we went back to the apartment and both took a nap. She seemed to be feeling better, I was. We had a nice evening, drank some Champaign and had some Vodka. Listened to music and talked. But by about 9PM she was burning up. I began to worry that maybe it was TSS from a birth control suppository. About 10PM it was pretty bad so I went out to find a pharmacy. She was fairly sick and I wasn’t going to let my lack of Ukrainian or Russian language skills keep her from feeling better. I walked the streets for about 30 minutes asking people if they spoke English. Remember… it doesn’t say pharmacy on the sign… I found a guy who took me to a pharmacy; it was literally on the same street and block as the apartment. I remember reading that over there pharmacists can prescribe drugs. With his help and a lot of gesturing I was able to get a thermometer and some medicine from the pharmacy and a number for a doctor if I needed it.

I spent most of the evening watching her and trying to get her temp down with a cool rag. Her temp was running around 102. I watched her sleep most of the night, she really is an angel. By morning she was feeling better and it was time to start packing. Time just goes by too fast.

The airport was a tough experience. I had to clear security before her by about an hour. I waited as long as I thought I could, and we hoped that they’d call her flight soon. She cried when I went up the escalator, it broke my heart. I waited for her in the lounge but she didn’t come. I ended up having a lot of Hrivna’s. Make sure you change them before the airport or downstairs. I ended up using some in the duty free store for smokes and a CD she had been listening to and got stuck with the rest.

My flight took off, I didn’t get a chance to see her again that day. I just stared out the window and told her I’ll see you soon my sweet Sveta. That’s my trip. An adventure that’s changed my life. I will most likely be moving to Russia this spring and hope to marry this fall. You can find love on the net, you can meet someone from another country and not everyone is out to rob you. I hope everyone out there has the opportunity to find their own light (Svetik).

Posted by: searcher

Nice story!

Its nice to see that people are having some success in finding a nice person.

Posted by: clever1

Really nice trip report Jeffs, glad everything went well for you.
I guess (romantic) fairy stories still exist.

John

Posted by: broncosfan

Great story. I could relate to so much of what you said.

Posted by: yodaamnot

Great Story, the story has just begun...

Posted by: mistermopar

Really liked your story Jeffs.To bad you didn't have more time to spend there with her.

Hope everything continues to work out good for yous,please keep us posted.

Randy

Posted by: zaniac

I know what I will say is a little off topic, but as you mentioned it in your report I thought I would say it. Whenever you are in a car, it is always best to keep the door unlocked. If your taxi driver crashes the car then it is easier for the fireman to get to you - if the crash really is that bad

Is car-jacking a big thing in Ukraine?

Back to the topic now, good report Jeffs, the longer the better in my opinion. Very moving I thought near the end. If my mum was reading it she, I think you would have set her waterworks off

I'm glad it worked out well for you and wish you luck in your relationship for the future

I found the subway, but never went down the steps. Apparently the subway is reeeeeeally deep down underground.

Posted by: Raspberry

Jeffs, sounds like a fantastic trip! It's good to know there is someone out there that does crazier things than I do!!

Posted by: obx2005

Thanks for sharing one of your life's moving moments with us. Gives all hope.

Jeff

Posted by: Samurai_Bob

Thanks Jeffs for a most informative and touching story.

Meeting up in Keiv is an excellent idea.

Best to you guy.

bob